Shame to have convicted minister in cabinet – CM

The criminals and convicted ministers are the part of our system. Throughout the India there are multiple cases of convicted individuals holding the ministerial berths and Goa is never an exception to this. In Goa also we have many charge sheeted and history sheeters holding prominent positions in Government and politics. Mr. Parsekar was pointing out at Mickky Pacheco in this regards while indicating the certainty over the ouster of RDA minister Mr. Francisco Xavier Pacheco from hi cabinet.

Parsekar, who was referring to state Minister Fransisco Miccky Pacheco’s conviction in an assault case, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, was asked if he found the situation embarrassing he said that it is obviously a matter of embarrassment for him to have a convicted minister in his cabinet. “However, while taking any related decision, I will maintain the dignity and honour of the Supreme Court,” Parsekar said, pointing out, “I would also like to keep the word given to Pacheco that I will speak to him before reaching any conclusion.” He also said that legal advice has already been sought in this matter from constitutional experts.

It may be recalled that the apex court had recently dismissed Pacheco’s petition challenging the order of the High Court of Bombay at Goa for allegedly assaulting a junior engineer of the electricity department in 2006. The High Court had set aside the order of the Margao additional sessions court ordering the release of Pacheco on admonition by granting him benefit under Probation of Offenders Act. With the latter order dismissed, an earlier order – by the South Goa assistant sessions judge Irshad Aga, sentencing Pacheco to six months in prison and a fine of 1,500 – comes into force.

Speaking further on this issue, the Chief Minister said that he is expecting Pacheco to return to Goa from New Delhi Wednesday evening. “I did speak to Pacheco after the Supreme Court came out with its verdict, and he told me that he would abide by my direction, irrespective of what it is,” he noted. Further Parsekar has also denied that Pacheco has been misusing his office after particular decision of the Supreme Court, questioning as to how the RDA Minister could misuse his office when he is neither in his office nor in Goa. “I can’t take decision in his absence. But I will respect the Supreme Court and take the decision accordingly,” he said, when asked whether the minister would be dropped.

Pacheco, a Goa Vikas Party legislator, was inducted in the state cabinet last November after the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar resigned (to join the union cabinet) and Parsekar replaced him. The Supreme Court bench of Justices F M I Kalifulla and Shiva Kirti Singh on Tuesday dismissed the special leave petition filed by Pacheco against the High Court verdict which upheld the sentence of six-month imprisonment.

The Background

An FIR for assault was lodged on July 15, 2006 by Kapil Natekar, a junior engineer of the government’s Electrical Department, against Pacheco who was a minister then too. It alleged that Pacheco abused and slapped Natekar in his chamber after summoning him over for not attending the telephone call of the minister’s personal assistant. A judicial magistrate at Margao convicted Pacheco and sentenced him to one-year jail term and a fine of Rs.5,000. Appellate court reduced the jail term to six months and the fine to Rs.1,500. Upon revision plea, the sentence was set aside and he was released on ‘admonition’ under Probation of Offenders’ Act, but the HC overturned this ruling.